View Full Version : .223 Pistol Loads
FloridaWoodsman
10-03-13, 04:26
Is anyone loading for .223 AR pistol-length barrels? Do you do anything special? Would faster-burning powders reduce muzzle flash and deliver more energy? Are certain weight bullets more reliable in cycling?
I shoot all the normal/standard stuff from mine without issue. As far as better burning powder and the such, I guess that would depend on barrel length. My 11.5 is smooth and has minimal muzzle flash. On the other hand my buddy with his 7.5, well that thing is a flame thrower! The shorter the barrel the lower the grain count is good rule of thumb. I wouldn't recommend shooting 77 grain out of a 7 inch barrel. Not that anything bad would happen, it would just be a waste of good ammo. Their is not enough twist rate to stabilize the heavier bullets. With such a wide range of barrel length its kinda hard to nail down specifics.
FloridaWoodsman
10-03-13, 11:48
I shoot all the normal/standard stuff from mine without issue. As far as better burning powder and the such, I guess that would depend on barrel length. My 11.5 is smooth and has minimal muzzle flash. On the other hand my buddy with his 7.5, well that thing is a flame thrower! The shorter the barrel the lower the grain count is good rule of thumb. I wouldn't recommend shooting 77 grain out of a 7 inch barrel. Not that anything bad would happen, it would just be a waste of good ammo. Their is not enough twist rate to stabilize the heavier bullets. With such a wide range of barrel length its kinda hard to nail down specifics.
If I get into it, it will probably be with a 10.5-11.5 length.
If going with a 10.5" - 11.5" barrel you would probably be able to use most bullets 55-77 grains. I don't think different weights will cause cycling problems. If loading for hunting or HD I think you would want a bullet that still performs well at a lower velocity. 11.5" seems to be the sweet spot of short barrels as far as function. I don't see any reason why a shorter barrel would cause a loss in accuracy but like all things reloading - you just have try different loads out and see which ones work the best.
I don't do anything different for loads used in a shorter barrel. I've shot a few thousand reloads using AA2230 , 23.5 gr to 24.5 gr with 55 gr FMJs and 62 gr SS109s from my 16" middy and few hundred of the same through an 11.5 barrel and had no function or accuracy issues. I don't have a chronograph though. CFE223 is a very fast burning powder and boasts higher muzzle velocities over other powders suitable for .223. If velocity is what you want that might be a good powder to try. Its hard to say if a faster powder will produce less muzzle flash but it will deliver more energy.
If I get into it, it will probably be with a 10.5-11.5 length.Hodgdon's has a reloading data center for load data http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp , if/after decide on powder and bullet to try first. There also free manuals/PDFs on net as well. Wasn't sure how far you've gotten to reloading, didn't mean any offence if ya already know.:laugh:
If I get into it, it will probably be with a 10.5-11.5 length.
Get into it. Its a whole lotta fun!
If going with a 10.5" - 11.5" barrel you would probably be able to use most bullets 55-77 grains. I don't think different weights will cause cycling problems. If loading for hunting or HD I think you would want a bullet that still performs well at a lower velocity. 11.5" seems to be the sweet spot of short barrels as far as function. I don't see any reason why a shorter barrel would cause a loss in accuracy but like all things reloading - you just have try different loads out and see which ones work the best.
I don't do anything different for loads used in a shorter barrel. I've shot a few thousand reloads using AA2230 , 23.5 gr to 24.5 gr with 55 gr FMJs and 62 gr SS109s from my 16" middy and few hundred of the same through an 11.5 barrel and had no function or accuracy issues. I don't have a chronograph though. CFE223 is a very fast burning powder and boasts higher muzzle velocities over other powders suitable for .223. If velocity is what you want that might be a good powder to try. Its hard to say if a faster powder will produce less muzzle flash but it will deliver more energy.
11.5 is definitely a sweet spot and a good compromise...... As far as accuracy and barrel length, they go hand in hand, one directly effects the other. The longer a barrel is, the more accurate a rifle will be. Barrel length and rifling or twist rate will also have a direct effect on accuracy and bullet stability or lack of. The heavier rounds need a higher twist rate for stability/accuracy.
If you look in the Hornady reading manual they have a section for reloading single shot pistols. If you look at this data it will give you an idea about powder burn rates in shorter barrels. I would also recommend magnum primers to fire up the boiler quicker.
You might be better with flat base bullets because of the increased muzzle blast effecting bullet flight just as it leaves the barrel.
I just ran the powders listed on the Sierra manual on page 218 for the 55 grain bullets through Quickload and the following powders had the best results in short barrels.
IMR-4198, propellant burnt, 97.86%, 11.5 inches, 54908 psi
RE-7, propellant burnt 97.38% 11.5 inches, 54880 psi.
Viht N130, propellant burnt 96.55, 11.5 inches, 54803 psi
I agree a short barrel not putting enough spin on a heavy bullet will cause accuracy problems but I think as long as the rifling makes one full turn you would be ok, I could be wrong. What I've seen mentioned a few times here is that longer barrels don't equate to more accuracy directly. A longer barrel means a higher muzzle velocity and thus a flatter trajectory. The shorter barrel will create a lower muzzle velocity and a more curved trajectory. The shorty isn't necessarily less accurate per se, you just have to compensate for bullet drop at distances you normally wouldn't have to with a longer barrel.
11.5 is definitely a sweet spot and a good compromise...... As far as accuracy and barrel length, they go hand in hand, one directly effects the other. The longer a barrel is, the more accurate a rifle will be. Barrel length and rifling or twist rate will also have a direct effect on accuracy and bullet stability or lack of. The heavier rounds need a higher twist rate for stability/accuracy.
FloridaWoodsman
10-03-13, 20:14
Hodgdon's has a reloading data center for load data http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp , if/after decide on powder and bullet to try first. There also free manuals/PDFs on net as well. Wasn't sure how far you've gotten to reloading, didn't mean any offence if ya already know.:laugh:
Yes, I was familiar with it, but didn't know how far you might go with fast powders. The fastest I have used in a mid-length is the VV N133. I was thinking that the more powder that burned in the barrel, the less flash and more energy transfer.
FloridaWoodsman
10-03-13, 20:27
...
I just ran the powders listed on the Sierra manual on page 218 for the 55 grain bullets through Quickload and the following powders had the best results in short barrels.
IMR-4198, propellant burnt, 97.86%, 11.5 inches, 54908 psi
RE-7, propellant burnt 97.38% 11.5 inches, 54880 psi.
Viht N130, propellant burnt 96.55, 11.5 inches, 54803 psi
I appreciate your looking that up, since I don't have the software. Looks like not much waste there.
Whens the last time you saw a 11.5 sniper rifle? Just sayin.
FloridaWoodsman
10-04-13, 00:34
Whens the last time you saw a 11.5 sniper rifle? Just sayin.
I recognize their limitations, I'm just wondering how to squeeze the most out of one. My first build was for distance, so I've got that covered.
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